The Chiefs made the decision to use the non-exclusive designation well ahead of the afternoon deadline, a person familiar with the move told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team had yet to announce the move.

The 26-year-old Houston set a franchise-record with 22 sacks last season, just a half-sack short of the NFL record. He also made 68 tackles while playing the final year of his rookie deal.

The Chiefs and Houston’s representatives began discussions on a long-term contract last offseason but made little progress. Those discussions resumed this past season, as Houston’s value skyrocketed amid his record-setting sacks pace. But after discussions planned for last week’s NFL scouting combine failed to produce much progress, the franchise tag became inevitable.

Houston would make about $13 million on a one-year contract if he signs the tender, though that’s no guarantee. The two sides still have until July 15 to work out a long-term deal, and it is possible that the fifth-year pro will hold out until training camp or beyond.

“I think Justin Houston is a fine football player,” Chiefs general manager John Dorsey said at the combine. “What he did this year, I mean, he did a wonderful job. Everybody, we applaud him for that. … I’ve had ongoing discussions with his representative.”

Now, though, Houston may also negotiate with other teams. The Chiefs retain the right to match the terms of an offer or receive two first-round picks as compensation.

One battle that could be looming is over Houston’s position. He is considered an outside linebacker in the Chiefs’ base defense, but could be considered a defensive end. If he were to be classified in that position, the franchise tag is expected to be about $14 million.

Regardless of what happens with Houston, the cash-strapped Chiefs will need to make some additional roster moves soon to free up salary cap space for his contract.

They have already parted ways with several backups, including tight end Anthony Fasano, and could begin restructuring contracts or cutting outright some of their most notable players. Among them are wide receiver Dwayne Bowe and linebacker Tamba Hali, both of whom are signed to long-term deals that carry massive salary cap numbers.

Bowe in particular has become the subject of plenty of criticism. Not only does he carry a $14 million salary cap hit, his skillset appears to be on the decline. He failed to catch a touchdown pass last season, along with the rest of the wide receiving corps.

“It’s hard to play in the National Football League,” Dorsey said. “(Bowe) will probably tell you himself that he did not live up to his high standards, but now we have 2015 to come back.”

WICHITA, Kansas – Despite the shocking cold, Shocker fans are preparing for the big game by setting up camp at Marshallville.

More than 50 campers began setting up their tents in preparation for the first camp out of the year.

Freshman Regina Dowling is a first time camper who had to be a part of all the excitement.

“I want to be here for the game, I want to support the shockers and be totally engrossed in the experience,” said Dowling.

With two days to spare, there are plenty of activities and events planned to keep campers busy.

“We plan on playing a bunch of card games,” said WSU fan Nicole Appel.

“They have a dodgeball tournament, they also have a dance party that i’m aware and I just saw a guy earlier bringing in a TV to have a basketball video game tournament,” added WSU fan Garrett Kissell.

Even with a lot of fun planned, campers are still preparing for the cold weather.

Marshallville Founder and President Max Runyon says everyone is taking precautions to make sure they stay safe.

“We’re making sure everyone out here is properly bundled, making sure there tents are secure and really warm,” said Runyon.

Space heaters could be seen in several tents in Marshallville.

“The main plan was to bring as many blankets as possible and as many people as possible, we thought blankets and body heat,” said Kissell.

All in hopes of enjoying what some campers are calling a once in a lifetime experience.

“Mostly the experience, you get to be with your friends and family so it’ll be a lot of fun,” said Appel

“You don’t get Game Day or game with this much hype too often so enjoy it while you have it,” added Kissell.

The No. 11 ranked Shockers take on No. 10 Northern Iowa on Saturday at Koch Arena.

Not only is the game airing on ESPN, ESPN’s College Gameday will be live from Koch Arena Saturday morning.

Marshallville officially opened at noon, but anyone who goes to the Shocker women’s game Friday night will get a priority wristband.

Doors open at 8:15 Saturday morning. The show airs from 10 to 11 a.m.

]]>http://ksn.com/2015/02/26/shocker-fans-ready-to-camp-at-marshallville/feed/0Fri, 27 Feb 2015 20:45:54 +0000MarshallvilleksnryannewtonConner Frankamp applies for DUI diversionhttp://ksn.com/2015/02/26/conner-frankamp-applies-for-dui-diversion/
http://ksn.com/2015/02/26/conner-frankamp-applies-for-dui-diversion/#commentsThu, 26 Feb 2015 17:21:00 +0000http://ksn.com/?p=163201]]>WICHITA, Kansas – Conner Frankamp, a Wichita State University transfer and leading scorer in city league history, applied for a diversion on his January DUI charge.

Wichita police say the breathalyzer test given to Frankamp was twice the legal limit. He was initially stopped for failing to signal a turn and maintain a single lane. Espinoza said a breath test showed Frankamp’s blood-alcohol content was .186, more than twice the legal limit.

Local State Farm agent David Curry will host the ESPN College GameDay Bus.

The GameDay Bus Tours will be available in the Equity Bank parking lot until 2 p.m. The bank is located at 13th and Webb Road in Wichita. The event is free and open to the public.

The GameDay Bus features lounges with leather sofas and reclining captain’s chairs, a galley kitchen and rest room. The bus has seven HD televisions in the front, a rear lounge and five receivers in the rear lounge so the GameDay Team can watch five different games at once in order to collect information for their shows.

ESPN’s College GameDay announce team (Rece Davis, Jay Bilas, Seth Greenberg and Jay Williams), along with the production staff, use the bus for planning and preparation sessions and to relax between the Saturday morning show and evening telecasts. The bus travels throughout the country and stops at all eight of the College GameDay sites. The announce team will not be on site during the GameDay Bus Tour.

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]]>http://ksn.com/2015/02/25/espn-college-gameday-in-wichita-today/feed/0Thu, 26 Feb 2015 19:58:40 +0000IMG_0367ksnryannewtonK-State police announce action for student who bumped KU’s Jamari Traylorhttp://ksn.com/2015/02/25/k-state-police-announce-action-for-student-who-bumped-kus-jamari-traylor/
http://ksn.com/2015/02/25/k-state-police-announce-action-for-student-who-bumped-kus-jamari-traylor/#commentsWed, 25 Feb 2015 18:29:24 +0000http://ksn.com/?p=162837]]>MANHATTAN, Kansas – The Kansas State University Police Department announced on Wednesday what action will be taken against a K-State student who ran out on the court and made contact with a KU player Jamari Traylor following Monday’s basketball game in Bramlage Coliseum

On Tuesday student, Nathan Power voluntarily met with K-State police and was issued a notice to appear for disorderly conduct.

Police say Power was cooperative throughout the process, and the K-State Police Department considers this matter closed.

A person identifying himself as Power, in a letter Tuesday to Kansas State’s student newspaper, apologized for running into Traylor, “breaking from the Wildcat way and stepping outside what is acceptable in the spirit of the game.”

“Following the basketball game I simply let my emotions get the best of me in all of the chaos,” the letter to the Collegian read. “In my excitement I was not careful of the people I was around. I am sorry that I made the KU basketball team — Jamari Traylor in particular — feel disrespected. By no means can I change what took place but in the future I will be aware of how emotions can impact good judgment.”

Kansas State athletic director John Currie has promised to review the school’s security procedures after an upset of eighth-ranked Kansas on Monday night turned into a chaotic scene as students and fans rushed the court.

Currie apologized in a statement to Kansas counterpart Sheahon Zenger, coach Bill Self and the rest of the Jayhawks on Tuesday morning.

Self needed help from Kansas State coach Bruce Weber just to exit the floor. In another instance, Kansas assistant Kurtis Townsend had to yank away a Kansas State fan who was taunting several of his players.

Throughout the game, students engaged in profane chants directed at their rival.

K-State President Kirk Schulz addressed the K-State win in a letter to students and fans:

Kirk H. Schulz (Courtesy: K-State)

Dear K-State Students and Fans,

As we celebrate the remarkable victory by our men’s basketball team over the University of Kansas on ESPN’s Big Monday, we are proud of the determination our student-athletes displayed. Congratulations to head coach Bruce Weber and his staff for a tremendous effort that truly reflects the Wildcat Way. The passion and enthusiasm of our fans also played a huge role in creating a big-time college atmosphere.

Opportunities to be on national broadcasts are not common and serve to shape our national reputation as a top public research university. Athletic Director John Currie and his staff members work extremely hard to provide a world-class fan experience. We ask that you be aware of what the national audience sees and hears on these broadcasts and help us make a great impression for K-State. This includes avoiding the use of profanity in cheers during the game.

Good reputations are hard won and easily lost. We believe the Wildcat Way is to create a family friendly atmosphere at all of our athletic events. Let’s put on the purple and represent our university with pride in all of our upcoming athletic events.

WICHITA, Kansas – It was a big win for KSU over Kansas. Fans stormed the court. Both coaches were pushed up against the scorers table.

“Well, I apologized to Bill (self, KU Coach) and his staff, to their administration,” says KSU coach Bruce Weber. “I felt bad. I love the students. It’s a cool thing to be part of that, but you’ve also got to be careful of making sure no one gets hurt.”

No one was hurt. Fans were enjoying the big win. But, with so many fans crushing onto the court, we asked Wichita State Athletics how they deal with security issues, if fans run onto the court.

“It’s always a concern. Anytime you have a large crowd here and a visiting team and officials it’s a concern,” says WSU Associate Athletic Director Brad Pittman. “But we have procedures in place and contingency plans if we feel that is going to happen. Our main focus is safety. And safety for the visiting team and game officials and ultimately for the fans. We don’t want anybody to get hurt.”

Pittman says they have security placed in the student section, which seats about one thousand student fans. He also says they try to communicate ahead of time.

“It takes a coordinated effort, and you have to be out in front of it. Ultimately, we hope through education and talking about things that are going on, it will help,” says Pittman. “We are discouraging the practice and ultimately, they (fans) outnumber us. There is a point in time where you kind of have to call off what you are trying to do and go to your contingency plan.”

WSU has a big home game this weekend, when the highly ranked Shockers place host to another highly ranked team, Northern Iowa.

Currie also apologized in a lengthy statement to Kansas counterpart Sheahon Zenger, Jayhawks coach Bill Self and his team Tuesday morning, and said the school would review video of the incident along with law enforcement personnel to identify fans who became unruly.

“Although no one was hurt last night,” Currie said, “we fell short of our expectations for securing the court and escorting KU to its locker room without incident.”

NCAA spokesman David Worlock said there are no national rules against court-storming, but that conferences and individual schools are expected to provide sufficient security.

The Big 12 said in a statement that it was reviewing the postgame celebration, and that “in accordance with conference policy, home team game management is responsible for the implementation of protocols to provide for the safety of all game participants, officials and fans.”

Currie said that security formed a human barrier Tuesday night, just as they are instructed. But he said they were unable to get into position in time, even though the Wildcats led for several minutes at the conclusion of the game, and it had become apparent long before the final buzzer that a sea of humanity was ready to rush the floor.

As the court was engulfed, Self was nearly crushed against the scorer’s table, and Kansas State coach Bruce Weber tried to shield him. At the other end of the floor, Jayhawks assistant Kurtis Townsend could be seen yanking away a student who was taunting several players.

Kansas forward Jamari Traylor was even hip-checked by a student rushing onto the court. The video quickly went viral, and Kansas State police posted a picture of the student on Twitter on Tuesday morning and asked for the public’s help in identifying him.

Throughout the game, students also engaged in profane chants directed at their rival.

“It’s a ballgame,” Self said. “It’s not about chicken-winging somebody when the game’s over. Hopefully, they can get that corrected. It’s fine if you want to celebrate when you beat us, that’s your business. That’s fine. But at least it shouldn’t put anybody at risk.”

This is the second time this month that Kansas has had the court stormed after its defeat. A similar scene unfolded following a loss at Oklahoma State.

“While we are proud of the incredible atmosphere of Bramlage Coliseum and the passion of K-State students and fans, we are saddened by the insistence of some fans to sully the image of our great institution with audible profane chants,” Currie said. “We will continue to work with our student leadership to provide a better example of sportsmanship for our audiences.”

K-State Police sent out a tweet Tuesday evening saying they were no longer looking for the fan.

No further information was provided about the fan or what consequences he might be facing.

The Jayhawks trudged off the court as students poured from the stands into a mad pile, celebrating the biggest highlight of what has been a dreary season in Manhattan.

The Wildcats had lost seven of their last eight games amid suspensions and strife, and it appears a lock that their string of eight straight 20-win seasons will end. But at least for one night, against their biggest foil, they looked like a Top 25 team in their own right.

On behalf of President Schulz and K-State Athletics, I apologize to Athletics Director Sheahon Zenger, Coach Bill Self and the KU basketball team for the unfortunate situation in which they were placed last night at the conclusion of our basketball game.

Our security staff, which in similar past postgame celebrations has, according to our procedures and rehearsals, provided a solid human barrier to allow the teams to conduct a postgame handshake and safely leave the court, was unable to get into proper position quickly enough last night and was overwhelmed by the fans rushing the floor.

K-State prides itself on providing a great game atmosphere in a safe environment and did successfully execute our security plan when we defeated KU last year in Bramlage as well as in 2011. Although no one was hurt last night, we fell short of our expectations for securing the court and escorting KU to its locker room without incident. We are disappointed that we did not do better for the KU team.

We are reviewing our procedures internally and consulting with our law enforcement partners to determine any steps necessary to improve our gameday security.

Additionally, we are actively reviewing video and working in concert with law enforcement to identify any fan who intentionally touched visiting players or personnel. We will take appropriate action with such identified persons, including turning over all evidence to law enforcement so that any applicable charges can be filed.

Early this morning I met with Student Governing Association President Reagan Kays and Vice-President for Student Life Pat Bosco who are supportive of these steps. While we are proud of the incredible atmosphere of Bramlage Coliseum and the passion of K-State students and fans, we are saddened by the insistence of some fans to sully the image of our great institution with audible profane chants. We will continue to work with our student leadership to provide a better example of sportsmanship for our audiences.

Congratulations are still in order for our coaches and student-athletes for their tremendous effort last night, and we look forward to Saturday’s home finale against Iowa State.

WICHITA, Kansas — To say Eric Sexton is a busy man would be an understatement. KSN’s Emily Gagnon followed him one day to find out what a day in the life of Wichita State University’s Athletic Director was like.

Eric’s day begins with a 3:45 a.m. wakeup call for a 5:00 a.m. with a one-hour workout at Optimal Performance.

We joined him for his workout and asked, “Tell me what the last two years have been like for you when it comes to men’s basketball with a Final Four and 35 straight wins the following season.”

“It’s a term I have in my head and I’ve used some is, we didn’t catch lightning in a bottle, we’ve been — over years, times — building a bottle to catch lightning,” replied Sexton.

Click photo for a photo gallery of our day with Eric Sexton.

Emily asks Eric, “The Men’s Basketball program, it’s no secret, that’s the cash cow. That is the program that makes the money. How do you make up for the other programs that maybe don’t bring in as much?”

Eric responds, “72% of our budget comes from fundraising. That’s not all men’s basketball. 15 sports is what we protect. We don’t sponsor one sport.”

At 7:30 a.m., it’s time for a breakfast meeting at Doo Dah Diner with Dr. Elizabeth King, President and CEO of the WSU Foundation. One of the subjects they talk about is an upcoming meeting.

“They will want to ask questions about skyboxes and I needed to see where you are with that,” Dr. King tells Sexton.

Eric responds, “What we’re trying to sort through now is, you might be able to do them today but can you support them in the future?”

At 9:00 a.m. it is on to Charles Koch Arena, where he meets the staff.

“An important part of my day is to just go around, say “Hi.” Check to see where folks are at,” said Eric.

As for playing basketball against another state team, Emily asked, “Now have you ever tried to get Kansas or Kansas State to play you guys in men’s basketball and do you see that ever happening?”

“It’s probably not the best way to say this but when I was growing up, prior to meeting my lovely bride, there were lots of girls that I wanted to date but they didn’t want to date me,” responds Sexton.

“Do you think it would be a win-win situation if either of those schools would play you guys?” asks Emily. “Just because it’s an in-state rivalry — that could be a great thing for both programs.”

“I can’t answer for them,” said Sexton. “And I’m not going to answer for them because we’re willing to play. Again, we went to South Dakota to play Memphis. We’re going to go play good teams, high-quality teams, any place, anytime, anywhere.”

VIDEO | Extended walk and talk with Eric

Emily asked Sexton what his approach was for punishing athletes for things that they do off the court, off the field. How does he approach that?

“I hold sports programs and coaches accountable,” said Sexton. “I expect you to be a championship type of person off the court.”

At 10:30 a.m., Eric meets with John Dieker from Bombardier Learjet. “John is the embodiment of what our student athletes care about because our community does so much for us.”

At 11:00 a.m., he meets with WSU Baseball Coach, Todd Butler, who shows John and Eric plans for a new WSU Baseball clubhouse and fitness center.

“I think it’s the most well-built indoor facility in college baseball,” said Butler.

In the evening, Eric is walking the Roundhouse meeting fans and faculty. At 6:50 p.m. it is time for the pre-game Presentation of the Game Ball before the Indiana State vs. Wichita State men’s basketball game.